


Worth the Effort

by alafaye



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-11
Updated: 2016-01-11
Packaged: 2018-05-13 03:38:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5693158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alafaye/pseuds/alafaye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Draco's looking forward to a quiet Christmas Eve when a drunk Weasley shows up to his door.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Worth the Effort

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the 2015 mini_fest. This was prompt [3](http://mini-fest.livejournal.com/135962.html?thread=2705946#t2705946), Draco's Christmas Eve appears to be full of odd surprises (either that, or someone left a drunk Gryffindor at his door). First posted [here](http://mini-fest.livejournal.com/145291.html).

Since none of the students had stayed for the holidays, Minerva had given her staff the choice to dine in a smaller room for Christmas Eve or to eat in their rooms. The same applied for Christmas, but for now, Draco was thoroughly enjoying the fact that no one would be interrupting him for the next few hours while he enjoyed his evening in his rooms. He had a bottle of good sherry, some pastries from the kitchens, and a book that wasn't about any of his classes.

He had just poured a glass of sherry when he heard what he thought was the sound of a Quidditch ball hitting his door. (It had happened, when he first started teaching. A little creativity had stopped that, but one doesn't forget that sound.) But when it happened again, he recalled the few nights when Father had gotten drunk after the war. It was the sound of someone trying to open the door while using it as a prop to stand up and finding out that it wasn't possible.

The drunk person outside his door tried to get up again. Draco moved the table with his dinner aside and opened the door. Charlie Weasley -- professor for Care of Magical Creatures -- looked up, red in the face. He was also holding his arm to his stomach.

"Draco?" Charlie blinked sleepily. "What are you doing in the infirmary?"

Well, that was new. Draco knelt down. "Infirmary? Did you hurt yourself?"

Charlie winced and held out the hand that had been curled in. "Was drinking. Tripped over Fang."

"And, what? Did he bite you?" Draco asked, taking Charlie's hand in his. It was scraped badly, but not from Fang, as Draco had first thought. Charlie was silent. Draco looked up and raised an eyebrow. Charlie was staring at where Draco was holding his hand. Draco cleared his throat. "Weasley?"

Sucking in a breath, Charlie answered, "Scraped my hand on the table."

"And you thought you should bother Poppy with a scrape?" Draco wondered. "This just needs a salve. I have some in here that I brewed for her earlier. Come on."

Charlie beamed. "Really? Thanks, Draco!"

Shaking his head, Draco led Charlie into his rooms and pushed him into a seat. Draco fetched the salve from his private lab and returned to find that Charlie had become moody in the short time, staring glumly into the fire. He cleared his throat.

Charlie looked up, eyes wide, and beamed. "You came back!"

"Of course I did," replied Draco. "I only left to get the salve."

Charlie's shoulders slumped. "Figures."

Taking the scraped hand, Draco applied the salve with two fingers. Charlie sighed, sounding wistful. Draco hummed. "Something on your mind?"

"I wish you'd touch me for a reason besides this," Charlie muttered. "I'd really like it if you kissed me."

Draco blinked. "Sorry?"

Charlie waved his free hand. "I really, really like you. You know? I tried to get your attention with the special trip to see the dragon reserve, but... well, maybe you don't like your namesake. And I tried to be nice, but you always have something to do!"

Draco's heart was picking up speed in his chest. Charlie... liked him? Him, Draco Malfoy, the most controversial staff member at Hogwarts at present and a former Death Eater? He'd thought that Charlie had been trying to make up for his brothers, to apologize. Not that it made sense in hindsight, but still. 

"Can I kiss you, Draco?" Charlie asked abruptly.

Draco half smiled. "Maybe tomorrow. Ask me tomorrow, Charlie, and I'll give you a kiss."

Charlie huffed, alcohol fumes wafting into Draco's face. "You're so bloody difficult. I hope you're worth all this pining."

"Kiss me tomorrow and you might find out."

Charlie smiled.

~~~

Draco looked at the clock. Drummed his fingers on the arm of the chair. Huffed.

Figures, he thought. Something good might have happened and then... nothing. 

Two minutes to midnight.

He banked the fire and tidied up the tray he'd ordered from the kitchens. (All pastries that were sweet, in small pieces. Meant for hand feeding. Draco had, one by one, eaten them himself.)

Someone knocked on the door.

He opened it quickly, but hoped he didn't look like he had. "Charlie."

Charlie raised an eyebrow. "You didn't leave your rooms today. You said I could have a kiss today and I never saw you!"

Inwardly cheering, Draco smirked. "I remembering saying you could ask for a kiss."

"How's a bloke supposed to ask if you aren't around to be asked, then?"

"You're here now."

Charlie shook his head. "Piece of work you are."

"I assure you, I am worth all the effort."

"Can I kiss you?"

"About bloody time. Yes, you idiot."

Charlie was smiling into the kiss. Draco couldn't stop himself from smiling, too.


End file.
